Dr. Stephen Mateka, psychiatrist, on depression: “exercise is one of the most evidence-based tools for improving mood”
Doing exercise is scientifically proven to improve your mood, says Dr. Stephen Mateka.
In a world of endless social media scrolling, rising prices, and Donald Trump, depression affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide, with ways to ease the burden becoming a major public health priority.
And now, a growing body of research is building on a bona fide treatment option on par with traditional medications and therapy for many people living with depressive symptoms: regular exercise.
An extensive review of clinical trials, led by researchers at the University of Lancashire, examined data from 73 randomised controlled trials involving nearly 5 000 adults diagnosed with depression. The studies compared the effects of exercise to no treatment, antidepressant medication, and psychological therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy.
Exercise impacts “positively, mentally, emotionally, socially and physically”
The results were striking: researchers found that people who engaged in structured exercise experienced a noticeable reduction in their depressive symptoms compared with those who received no intervention.
Psychiatrist Dr. Stephen Mateka, medical director of psychiatry at Inspira Health, told NPR that the study’s results “reinforce the evidence that exercise is one of the most evidence-based tools for improving mood," adding that “exercise can help improve neurotransmitter function, like serotonin as well as dopamine and endorphins. So there is certainly overlap between exercise and how antidepressants offer relief.”
Mateka explained that “when it comes to exercise, it’s about just finding the exercise that works for you, such as something like yoga or tai chi versus something like walking and jogging."
“Exercise is something that is extremely low cost. It’s very accessible. It has very minimal side effects. And it has the opportunity to impact you positively, mentally, emotionally, socially and physically,” he concluded.
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One of the biggest advantages of exercise as a treatment is its accessibility. Unlike prescription medicine or therapy sessions, physical activity can be started for free. Basically, get out and go for a run, it’s good for you.
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